Peter Theisen introduced today’s program, “Whatcom Unified Command and Response on Covid-19,” presented by Club member Andy Day, who has been serving as the Deputy Incident Commander for the Command. He served in this leadership role with the Incident Commander Scott McCreery. Andy built his well-prepared remarks around the What, Who, Where and Why of the Unified Command.
The Unified Command is an ad hoc group made up of members from Whatcom County, the City of Bellingham, the County Sheriff’s Office and the area Tribes. Their purpose is to understand and coordinate the area’s response to the COVID-19 virus pandemic, to ensure the continuity of government, the maintenance of essential services and the safety of the populace and to assess the virus economic impacts. Also providing input are other Whatcom County cities, the Port of Bellingham, medical institutions, the school systems, the fire districts, non-profit group and area corporations.
More specifically, the Incident objectives are to develop plans to address virus infection waves and prevent the spread of the virus. Also, it is important to support the most vulnerable members of the community, to ensure adequacy of health care and supplies, to keep the public and media informed and to manage a coordinated response and recovery effort.
The Command has utilized the Emergency Coordination Center, which is located out near the airport. The Center building consists of open flexible space, a radio room, meeting space and storage space for an 8-week supply of person protective equipment (masks, gowns, etc). Andy emphasized that in the case of the current pandemic situation the area was caught short of PPE. The intent is that that not happen again.
The Unified Command organizational structure consist of a top-level Executive Board, sitting over the Incident Commander and four sections that focus on Operations, Finance/Administration, Planning and Logistics. In addition to the Incident Commander and Deputy Commander there are Incident Safety and Health Officers and Liaison and Public Information Officers. The Planning section works on modeling the response to medical surges, isolation and quarantine and the transition to recovery. The Operations section deals with issues such as safe food distribution and providing isolation and quarantine facilities. Andy noted that an isolation and quarantine facility has been established at a 60-room motel site on Samish way. And to support the operations, the Logistics section among other things is tasked with acquiring health care and first responder protective equipment, coordinating volunteers and working to ensure food supplies and security.
Finally, there is the challenge of paying for the pandemic costs. As of June 18, the Unified Command has expended about $376K and has pending expenses of about $1.3M. Funding overall for community pandemic-related costs will come from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Securities (CARES) Act, the County ($12.3M), the City of Bellingham ($2.7M) and area small cities ($1.2M).
As to what we in the public can do in the future, Andy emphasized the need to maintain small gatherings and physical distancing, wear a mask, wash our hands, stay home when sick and get tested. With care we hope to move from Phase II to the next phases of recovery as soon as possible.
At the close of the meeting Pres. Cathy showed off the bell which was wearing a mask to ward off the virus. Dr. Dick Tucker did likewise, causing a laughing fit by Cathy so intense that I (editor) nearly wet myself .
